The verdict: Blues a class apart

23 September 2013 08:14

Posted by @dclayton_mcfc

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It’s always a pleasant job sifting through the media reports after a thumping derby victory.

Admittedly, the Blues have not had that many over recent years but five wins from the last eight clashes of the Manchester giants suggest they won’t be as rare as they were as little as five years ago.

As ever, games like this bring out the best in the football writers so we’ve picked three examples out this morning – but it could have been many more.

Leading the way is the Daily Mail’s Martin Samuel who sums up the 90 minutes as succinctly as ever.

He writes: “United were simply repelled by their rivals, shut up, dismissed, seen off. They pushed them deep, chased and harried them up the field. A few reputations will take some mending, not least Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick, who had looked so impressive at home against Bayer Leverkusen last week.

“This was another level of expectation entirely and they were found wanting. There were outstanding performers all over the field — but each one wore a blue shirt.

“Vincent Kompany was the best defender, Yaya Toure immense in the centre of midfield, Samir Nasri enjoyed one of his best performances for City, Jesus Navas terrified with his pace. As a forward partnership, Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo were a perfect team — Aguero scoring two goals, Negredo tireless in support. “

Focusing on an excellent display by Samir Nasri, The Guardian’s Neil Cox adds: “Both sides were not far off playing a simple 4-4-2, but whereas United were rigid and unimaginative throughout Nasri was the only player who varied his positioning intelligently. His role helped City in two respects. First, whereas the other wide midfielders stayed close to the touchlines, Nasri drifted inside to help City dominate the centre of the pitch.

“The strength of Yaya Touré and Fernandinho contributed to the home side's supremacy but Nasri always provided an obvious forward option, and when he received the ball his link-up play was quick, neat and unfussy – he misplaced only four of 47 passes.

By cutting inside, Nasri created space on the flank for Kolarov to exploit and the pair combined to great effect

...Neil Cox, The Guardian...

Finally, the Daily Mirror’s Martin Lipton reels off the superlatives in his entertaining match report: “Of course, Roberto Mancini’s finest hour came at Old Trafford, 6-1, a key signpost on the title glory trail.

“In truth, though, that was somewhat misleading. United, down to 10 men, were picked off on the counter-attack, something of a freak score-line.

"This, though, was not misleading. This was annihilation. A massacre. A horror show that will haunt David Moyes for a long, long time. It was all over after 50 minutes, United were a rabble, Wayne Rooney the lone player in Moyes’ side who could hold his head high.”

That’s all for today folks. Make sure you enjoy the game again with our extended highlights package.